Determination of alkylphenol ethoxylates and their degradation products in liquid and solid samples

Alkylphenol polyethoxylates (APEOs) are a group of non-ionic surfactants used extensively in industrial, agricultural and domestic applications. Their metabolites, generated by the biotransformation of APEOs in wastewater-treatment plants and natural water bodies, are more toxic and more persistent than the parent compounds, can mimic natural hormones and disrupt endocrine functions by interacting with estrogen receptors. Since the discovery of the adverse effects of these pollutants on wildlife and human health, analytical methods have been developed to determine them in environmental matrices.This article is an overview of the current methods employed in trace analysis of APEOs and their degradation products. We compare the analytical techniques used and we discuss potential advantages and disadvantages of the major detection and quantification techniques that have been coupled to liquid chromatography for the analysis of mixtures of APEOs in the past decade.